Grit Britain is getting colder

This winter being slightly colder than average does not tell the whole story

Met Office forecaster Helen Chivers

Researchers said we are being forced to throw on more layers and turn up the heating after four of the last five were colder than average.

According to the Met Office this winter’s average was 3.3C, a 0.4C drop below the 30-year seasonal average of 3.7C.

And apart from 2011/12, which was milder at 4.6C, every winter since 2007/08 has been colder than the nation’s average.

The winters of 2009/10 and 2010/11 were particularly chilly with average temperatures of just 1.6C and 2.4C respectively.

But forecasters said the recent crop of cold winters was part of normal cyclical weather patterns.

Both 2006/07 and 2007/08 were mild winters, with average temperatures of 5.6C and 4.9C.

Met Office forecaster Helen Chivers said: “This is the classic example of the variability that we can see in the British weather.

“If you look back past the last five years then three out of the last seven winters were milder than average, while 2006/07 was the second warmest on record.

“The recent trend does suggest that there are natural cycles that influence our weather.”

She said this winter was a season of “two halves” with more rain falling in December than in January and February combined.

She added: “This winter being slightly colder than average does not tell the whole story.

“During the first half of winter, the temperatures were normal but it was a mixture of sunshine and heavy rain, which led to flooding.

“But after mid-January, we have had cold and snowy weather. The chilly spell continued, which has pushed the average temperatures down, but February was dry.”

Meanwhile, experts at the Weather Channel said they expect next week to be dry.

Meteorologist Leon Brown said: “It looks like there will be a transition around March 10 from mild southerly winds to much colder easterly winds. We can expect quite a bitter spell of weather mid-March.”